Crystal Pepsi is amazing. I realize it’s not the first time I’ve made such a claim on this blog, and it certainly won’t be the last, but new evidence has surfaced that at first glance gives those of us patiently awaiting the return of clear cola some hope.

Pepsi Japan is launching a new clear cola drink just in time for the holidays. Called Pepsi White, the drink is tangerine-flavored and the packaging is designed with colorful snowmen.

Beyond the obvious, which is that colorful snowmen are awesome and obscure clear cola trends are significant enough to our culture that major news organizations track related foreign product development, I’m not sure how to feel about this given the tangerine factor. Don’t get me wrong, tangerine is a fine flavor and could actually be quite tasty in the context of a cola blend, but the legacy of Crystal Pepsi was built on the minimalism of delicious cola delivered in a clear format, and I fear that the Japanese may end up on a slippery slope of taking questionable liberties with the clear format.

Oh wait, they already did. The ABC News article continues:

Pepsi Japan first launched Pepsi White in 2008, which was a Pepsi and yogurt-flavored beverage.

NO. This is no good at all. Capturing the flavor of yogurt and adding it to clear Pepsi is a win for no one. Their treatment of the clear cola format is beyond concerning and shows a lack of respect for the whimsical Crystal Pepsi-fueled memories of my youth. I have to imagine that even yogurt cola enthusiasts feel some level of shame for what has to be the result of a lost bet or bitter vendetta…or an inception plot by the folks over at Coca Cola.